2013 Predictions in Cloud Security

What are some things that we should be watching out for around Cloud Security in 2013?

This time every year, Raimund Genes, Trend Micro’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and his colleagues here take stock of what they’ve seen in the past year and what they think we can expect in the coming year. For 2013, in the area of cloud security, Raimund thinks that increasing adoption of the cloud poses specific risks for customers’ data and the Internet more broadly.

In terms of risks to customers of cloud-based services, Raimund outlines his belief that data protection should be the key area of focus since IT Administrators may find their on-premises data protections don’t migrate effectively to the cloud. Administrators will need to evaluate cloud-based solutions fully and adapt their data protection strategies to account for the new risks this introduces.

Meanwhile, it’s not just IT Administrators who will move to the cloud for increased convenience and save money. Providers of cloud-based services will likely find their platforms being used even more to launch attacks, control botnets, and provide storage for stolen data. Cloud-based service providers should expect to spend more time and money fighting to defend their services from malicious use.

When you combine Raimund’s predictions around the cloud with his predictions around consumerization, it’s clear that threats have fully embraced the post-PC era. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the likely threats in the coming year by reading the report, seeing Raimund’s thoughts on his blog. and hearing him speak directly in his annual video podcast.

What do you think of of these predictions? Will 2013 bring an increased focus on data risk?